So, said Arthur, hoping he wasn’t sounding ridiculously obtuse, why don’t people get rid of the lizards?

It honestly doesn’t occur to them, said Ford. They’ve all got the vote, so they all pretty much assume that the government they’ve voted in more or less approximates to the government they want.

You mean they actually vote for the lizards?

Oh yes, said Ford with a shrug, of course.

But, said Arthur, going for the big one again, why?

Because if they didn’t vote for a lizard, said Ford, the wrong lizard might get in. Got any gin?

What?

I said, said Ford, with an increasing air of urgency creeping into his voice, have you got any gin?

I’ll look. Tell me about the lizards.

Ford shrugged again.

Some people say that the lizards are the best thing that ever happened to them, he said. They’re completely wrong of course, completely and utterly wrong, but someone’s got to say it.

But that’s terrible, said Arthur.

Listen, bud, said Ford, if I had one Altairan dollar for every time I heard one bit of the Universe look at another bit of the Universe and say “That’s terrible” I wouldn’t be sitting here like a lemon looking for a gin. But I haven’t and I am. Anyway, what are you looking so placid and moon-eyed for? Are you in love?

Arthur said yes, he was, and said it placidly.

With someone who knows where the gin bottle is? Do I get to meet her?

He did because Fenchurch came in at that moment with a pile of newspapers she’d been into the village to buy. She stopped in astonishment at the wreckage on the table and the wreckage from Betelgeuse on the sofa.

Where’s the gin? said Ford to Fenchurch. And to Arthur, What happened to Trillian by the way?

Er, this is Fenchurch, said Arthur, awkwardly. There was nothing with Trillian, you must have seen her last.

Oh, yeah, said Ford, she went off with Zaphod somewhere. They had some kids or something. At least, he added, I think that’s what they were. Zaphod’s calmed down a lot you know.

Really? said Arthur, clustering hurriedly round Fenchurch to relieve her of the shopping.

Yeah, said Ford, at least one of his heads is now saner than an emu on acid.

Arthur, who is this? said Fenchurch.

Ford Prefect, said Arthur. I may have mentioned him in passing.

“那么，”阿瑟说，并且希望自己听起来并不迟钝得可笑，“人为什么不把蜥蜴赶走？”

“说实话，他们没想过。”福特说，“他们都有投票权，所以他们都很相信自己投票选出来的政府多少会接近于他们所想要的政府。”

“你是说他们真的投票给蜥蜴？”

“啊对，”福特耸耸肩说，“当然了。”

“可是，”阿瑟又要问重要问题了，“为什么？”

“因为如果他们不投票选一个蜥蜴的话，”福特说，“那就会由另一个错误的蜥蜴掌权。有杜松子酒吗？”

“什么？”

“我是说，”福特的声音中有一种渐渐加强的紧迫感，“你有没有杜松子酒？”

“我看看。跟我说说那些蜥蜴。”

福特又耸耸肩。

“有人说蜥蜴是他们遇到一切中最好的了。”他说，“他们当然完全错了，完全彻底错了，可是总得有人这么说。”

“可那样太糟糕了。”阿瑟说。

“听着，伙计，”福特说，“如果每次我看到宇宙中的一份子看着宇宙中另一份子说‘那太糟糕了’的时候能都有一牵牛星元的话，我就不会坐在这里像一个柠檬一样去找一杯杜松子酒。但是我没有，而且我在这儿。管他呢，你为什么看起来这么镇定，看着还像得了月盲症一样？你恋爱了？”

阿瑟说是的，他恋爱了，说的非常镇定。

“你爱上的人知道杜松子酒瓶在哪儿吗？我是不是得见见她？”

他是得见，因为芬切琪这时候走了进来，拿着她去镇上买来的报纸。她看到桌子上一堆破烂，沙发上一堆破烂之后吃惊地停下来。

“杜松子酒在哪儿？“福特对芬切琪说。又对阿瑟说：“另外，崔莉恩怎么了？”

“呃，这是芬切琪，”阿瑟难堪地说，“崔莉恩没什么事，你肯定会看到她的。”

“哦对了，”福特说，“她和赞福德去什么地方了。他们有了几个孩子什么的。至少，”他补充说，“我是这么想的。赞福德平静下来了，你知道。”

“真的？”阿瑟说。他走到芬切琪身边帮她拿买回来的东西。

“是的。”福特说，“他至少有一个脑袋现在比嗑了药的食火鸡清醒。”

“阿瑟，这位是谁？”芬切琪说。

“福特·长官，”阿瑟说，“我以前应该说起过他的。”